


Little Warrior

by PetitAmour



Category: Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Family Bonding, Father-Daughter Relationship, Grief/Mourning, battle training, wow Nova the Simian Flu let you have THREE dads?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:14:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26721991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetitAmour/pseuds/PetitAmour
Summary: Being the best warrior amongst his people means it is his duty to train them -- even the small human, with her blue eyes and ashen complexion.Inspired by"Baby Sun" by Marli_Toled0
Relationships: Rocket/Tinker (Planet of the Apes 2011)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

The little girl is just that --  _ little _ . With no muscle on those arms he can only think of as twigs, and skin as pale as the moon that rises each night. Like she has never been under the sun’s warm embrace, or eaten a piece of meat in her life. The latter is impossible, because the troop is always hunting. They cook it too, sprinkle smashed roots and leaves onto it like a few of them have seen humans do for a flavorful meal. There is no excuse for her bones to show as they do now, and it worries Rocket to no end.

Everyone, be they child or elderly, are strong;  _ humans _ are strong, perhaps not as much as apes, but still. How will she defend herself when no one is around? What if a wild beast confronts her and he or Maurice are not there? Even Bad Ape in his old age and small body can lift his fists if need be ( rocket’s seen that rare sight before, not the most fear-inducing, but still a stand nonetheless ). Yet this little girl, who has been with them for quite some time, does not grow. Though she does not cling to Maurice’s side anymore and is able to join the others more easily now, Nova has shown little to  _ no _ growth.

_ She human, grow differently than ape _ , Tinker signs next to him, peering up at his face observing the child. 

_ Does not matter, she will need to fight,  _ He replies without looking at his wife and her calm eyes. Tinker knows a bit more about humans than him. She  __ had been raised in a zoo for most her life, and interacted with the caretakers there who were kind. They played with her, taught her things that lead to her name: Tinker, who played with string, and cans, and enjoyed tying items together as if building. So she would know things he -- raised in a circus then given to the shelter before her own arrival -- could ever comprehend.

_ Fight who? _

_ Other apes, beasts in the wild, other humans _ , Because despite them being far from human society ( or what was left of it ), a stray or survivor may come near. If they were smart, no doubt they’d want Nova, thinking her captive. And soon after finding out she could not speak, they’d dump her somewhere without anyone to watch over her.

Tinker lets her eyes wonder, lips quirked in thought.  _ If Rocket so worried, then he should teach her _

And it’s not a bad idea at all.; one that he could not by himself decide would be good, but if his mate thinks it, then it can not be all bad. He is not Nova’s parent, that is Maurice’s role, and so it should be Maurice to teach her. Rocket has taught many others already, and many times the parents took it upon themselves to teach their child. He did not blame them, having shooed a few others away from Ash if they tried to help correct his stance or hold with a spear. 

In his opinion, no one was as good a warrior as him, and only Caesar or Koba were allowed to chip in towards Ash’s battle training; So how sad it was to find one of the his most trusted friends (an uncle to his child) had kill him -- murder him in cold blood. Now Ash did not laugh beside him, was no longer by his side with a spear in hand out on a hunt. Neither was Blue Eyes, a second son to him and best friend to Ash. He had trained the duo closely, now they were no more.

There was only Cornelius, and now Nova.

So he stands, but not before brushing his knuckles along his wife’s jaw -- nodding to her. Then off he goes to Maurice.


	2. Chapter 2

Nova proves to be difficult in teaching. Not because she is hard to teach, if anything she is great at mimicking what he does, and he thinks that is why she is able to catch on to the hand-language and ape social cues so well. No, it’s because  _ he _ can not find it in him to hurt her. Even if it’s just for practicing, and not with all his strength, Rocket looks once into those round, glittering eyes and see’s not only the sea, but no menace. She copies his furrowed brow that shows his intent to battle hard, but it’s more silly than scary on her hairless face.

She reminds him a lot of Blue Eyes with those wide eyes, but her own are a lighter color, not at all the sky hue; they are the sea below the sky with every ounce of brilliance. Her attempts to snarl reminds him of a younger Blue Eyes as well -- before Koba’s uprising -- when the prince had been lost in approaching adulthood. She pulls back her lips to bare those blunt teeth, and Rocket has to hold back a laugh, then a few tears. Because he misses the elder prince, it is only fair since they traveled far and wide together, undergoing dangerous situations that grew a band between them -- an uncle and nephew; a son and father.

Her skinny little fingers are short, scrambling to find a spot for both hands to steady her spear --  _ Ash’s old spear,  _ from when he was about her size. Her arms are not long either, struggling to keep the bottom end from twirling the whole weapon without her say. And her legs are….weird. Straight, not used to crouching down like needed, though it is not impossible for a human. Despite what he can guess of her age, and body size, Nova has little control of her limbs, like a younger ape would. She does her best though, and proves she is willing to do as he does, if only to please him.

Maurice had warned him that he did not want his daughter to learn how to fight like a warrior. She was to learn how to teach and be an adviser like himself, because she was everything Rocket saw: small and weak and the orangutan's first and only child. They consider that the virus may have taken more than her voice, most likely spread to her bones and muscles. Her mind was still there, perhaps not as it had been before the infection, but it still seemed enough to be taught once more. Her frame on the other hand may have been less fortunate, for it was true she was not putting on as much weight as she should. In that respect, apes and humans were similar -- or atleast serum-mutated-apes and humans were -- so why was she not growing like them? Like humans typically do?

_ If she can not keep up, shows no improvement, she will stop _ , the orangutan had signed, and that was that. Rocket was not going to go against a fellow parent’s request -- happy to just be given a chance. Maurice understood some sort of training had to be given, and there was no one he trusted more than his oldest friend. 

So that left Rocket looking on as Nova tightened her hold on the spear in hand, and wobbly jab it forward. She had come far in trusting him and learning how to be with the apes. And now she was showing how far exactly that was by doing as he said with little hesitation. As if he were on the same level as Maurice and Bad Ape in her life.

She stops, slouching over to dig the tip of the spear into the ground and use it for support. Her chest heaving, bringing forth choppy breathes, chasing after the air to bring in.

“Rest.” He says aloud in a voice that did not match his body nor his demeanor. Soft, as if he could not speak over a whisper. Compared to his burly arms and constant frown, the once Alpha was a juxtaposition in body and voice. An effect the serum brought that he did not enjoy, but others would if to only snicker; he could not blame them either, because before Caesar, they had suffered through Rocket’s era of Alpha Chimp.

Nova turns her eyes to him, shaking her head with more effort than normal. Her head then falls forward, straw colored locks cascading over her face. 

“No more, training over for today.” Or maybe until she could gain more weight on her. 

She stomps her foot three times to gain his attention. Her hand raises, then begins to sign.  _ Keep going, Nova be strong. _

And her entire arm raises, fingers curling into a fist with what strength she had left, then curving it toward her head. A sign meant for ‘ _ brave _ ’, it had become her own somehow, just like the ‘R’ over his heart, Koba’s choking hand, and Maurice’s own head first sign.

He didn’t want Maurice worrying or being mad at him for sending his daughter back weak and exhausted that night, but she seemed determined.

Rocket approaches her, lifting the hair curtaining her face with the back of his large hand. She looks up to him once more, seeing him nod. 

“Okay, catch breath, then we continue.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it'll be awhile before chapter 3. Creative blocks be happening in this pandemic.


	3. Chapter 3

Tinker knows her husband the best, they have been together through their caged days, and through their fights for freedom. He confides in her his most vulnerable self that is held away from the public eye; a side he has only ever shared with Blue Eyes on occasion, but as fathers and sons do. Tinker knows how to read him with only a glance, one which has laid on him twice already. And as she watches him now dodge the little human’s strikes, she knows there is something off about his movements — the way he stays on the defense. That is not like her husband, who shows the ape army no mercy in preparing them for real battle. 

Nova is trying her hardest, but in the end it isn’t going too well. She’s removed her parka and sweat glistens off her pale brow. She shakes at the exertion of raising a weapon that was not made by or for her, yet she has not complained. Tinker respects everything the girl has done since starting the training, but that especially warms her heart. When she watches Nova lift it like a novice, she is reminded of Ash when he first began training. The way pale skin becomes twice as so as the practice wears on even reminds her of the patches of discoloration on her son’s pelt — like fallen ash. Obviously she is not the only one to have noticed, which leads to her believing that is the reason for Rocket’s hesitation.

Their adopted child is at that age many apes begin to decide what they want to do in aiding the colony. This was around the time Ash told his father that he too would be a mighty warrior just like him; perhaps one day he would be Blue Eyes’ own warrior-adviser akin to their fathers, that had always been the goal for them. Now both are gone, and only Cornelius remains, but he is not alone. Neither is Nova as she tries to prove her worth, prove she can be just as good as any ape and do her part beyond scrolls. She has a fire in her that undoubtedly is recognizable.

Tinker turns her head when another lumbers closer, scent telling of Maurice. He takes a seat next to her, then does nothing for a moment. When he finally pats the ground, she gives him her attention.

_ She has improved little over these weeks _ , he signs slowly with a small shake of his head.  _ Yet she does not stop. _

She nods, because there is no lie in his words. Her body strengthens, but at such a slow pace, it would take  _ years _ as opposed to the  _ months _ for an ape to achieve the ideal beginning of a strong body.

_ She wants to make us proud _ , and it sounds odd to use ‘ _ we _ .’ When had it been a group rather than the singular when it came to taking responsibility for Nova? It felt like long ago when Maurice surprised the colony with claiming her as his child, and now they have all accepted her as one of them.

_ Rocket is not taking it seriously _ , Maurice snorts.

_ He does not want to her _

_ It was his idea to teach her _

_ That was  _ **_before_ ** _ he saw the Blue of her eyes and how pallid like ash she was, _ and Tinker puts force in her signs to make a point. 

For a moment it's silent as Tinker turns her attention back to Rocket effortlessly dodges every blow Nova tries to deal — each one becoming more and more sluggish. At times she glances to Maurice as he too observes, half-expecting him to sign once more. Finally he does, eyes undeterring from his daughter putting her all into a battle.

_ Will you say something to him so she improves? _

This would not be the first time for her to bring some sense to her husband. He’s brilliant in many ways, but sometimes his mind overlooks the little details. That’s why he has her for a second pair of eyes, and she has him as pillar of hope and strength.

_ Yes, but she will have aches _

_ So be it, nothing I can not attend to as her father _

_ Nothing  _ **_we_ ** _ can not attend to as her family _

* * *

Tinker watches as her husband sits there, scratching at his nearly hairless chin, eyes roaming over the dunes in the distance. She knows he isn’t paying anything attention, his mind elsewhere. A place she does not want to intrude on, but must before he leads the hunt for food with his fellow hunters. If she could — and usually does — she would leave him to his thoughts and groom him instead so he can have his moment. Instead, she places a hand on his shoulder, drawing his attention.

_ Need to talk _

His brow furrows.  _ About what? _

_ Nova’s training, you are lacking in it _

He does not appear upset or taken aback, only stares at her, then averts his green-speckled eyes. 

_ Not true. _

_ You can not lie, I know you well _

_ Then you know I do not lie _

_ Rocket! _ And Tinker gives his shoulder a playful shove that has them both laughing. That’s what she loves about him, he can be serious when he wants to ( _ needs _ to), but under all that tough and gruff demeanor is someone who likes to laugh more than not. A side he does not show often publicly.

Rocket sobers up though, and downcasts his eyes.  _ I have. She reminds me too much of Blue Eyes and Ash. I can not harm her _

_ You do nothing for Nova if you do not be serious _

The way he raises his eyes to her is pitiful. He’s pouting, eyes shining under the bright sun. Her hand raises to caress under his chin, urging him up to look her in the hazel eye. 

_ Maurice wants you to train her like you would ape. She must take hits and grow stronger from them.  _ His chin leans into her touch, and he huffs.

_ Will not be easy, but Rocket will try _

* * *

Nova sits on the dirt floor without her parka on. It lays below her, protecting her bottom from becoming covered in gravel; it does her no good that she only has one pair of pants, because that means she must be careful with them like so. They’re folded up to her knees, revealing the two bruises that have become purple. When fingers press a cold wrap of ice within layers of leaves to one of them, she yelps — not like the ones she does to help express her signing. Pain blooms up her limb, taking the breathe from her lungs.

“Oh, no, no, no! Sorry, I’m sorry!” Bad Ape hovers his other hand over the make-shift ice-pack he presses to her injury, as if placating it will ease the pain.

Tears sting at the corners of her eyes and she allows them to fall. Her father taught her that crying is fine and normal, never should it be held in for long less it rottens you from within. So she lets her cheeks burn with them, yet keeps her composure. Sobs will do her no good when she has training to continue soon.

Grateful, the human gives a small smile to the small ape — one of her favorite guardians. He returns it like another human would, nodding to confirm that everything is alright, until another ape approaches, and he looks at them with wide-eyes.

Rocket stands there, peering over Bad Ape to get a better look at the bruises he has caused. Bad Ape removes the pack, giving him a better view and baring Nova’s now chilled flesh to the wind.

“Will be fine, only a bruise. Go down with ice-pack on, seen humans do it before.”

Nova feels like she knew that before the jacket wearing ape came to her with his handmade pack. Like a memory that she can not fully grasp, but knows is there. That’s how it's been as long as she can remember, with only a handful of memories that are clear as the day her father found her.

“Tie it to her.” Rocket speaks, pointing a finger to her legs.

Bad Ape looks back and forth between the finger and what it points out. He does this a lot, she’s noticed, when he’s unsure of….well, anything. He frowns quickly though, gently laying the pack back on her.

“Rocket sure? Nova needs rest.”

The other ape looks to her, and Nova knows he is awaiting her to make a decision. She can read it in his eyes, feel it radiate off his body: a father, like her own, like Bad Ape, ready to respect what she wants. It makes her wonder:  _ when did they adopt me too? _

_ Nova will continue. _ Despite the dried sweat on her brow and the locks of dirty, platinum- blonde hair sticking to face, the little human sits up straighter. 

Bad Ape only sighs, but does as told, pulling a piece of string from his pocket — not at all surprising, he’s known to shove whatever he pleases into them. He wraps it a few times over her ice-pack and skinny leg, then gives it a tight knot. Cautiously he even holds her limb, moving it around to make sure his handiwork will keep.

Nova reaches her arms out to Rocket, both engulfed in his when taken to pull her up to stand. Behind him she spots her father —  _ mama _ — watching on with a calm face. Beside him is Tinker — gentle eyes crinkling in a supportive expression — who throws her a thumbs up. Nove mimics the gesture, turning it to her mama and receiving a nod in return. They’re watching her grow, even if it means she has to learn the hard lessons like dodging and picking herself back up, blow after blow. 

She hasn’t wanted something so badly since she followed the apes, realizing she wanted to be with them for the rest of her life. She wants to help them, be strong like them so she is not just a useless little human (as some whisper about her).

Bad Ape pats her arm. “Will make you another pack for other bruise. Many more for many more to come.” And off he scurries with his funny little wobble.

“Come, Nova,” Rocket turns away, gesting her to follow. “Much to learn, little sun left.”

And she quickly bends over (unable to crouch) to take her spear — of which Rocket gifted her with, claiming it belonged to someone important — then off she goes, forcing back the limping so she can stand side by side with her mentor and guardian. 

One day she will have skin as hard as his, and muscles as plentiful. One day she will not be small Nova, but Nova the strong, and everyone will respect her like they do her father, and her Rocket, and her Tinker, and her Bad Ape. One Day....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're wondering:  
> * Ice was probably acquired from the snowy mountains on one of the apes' expeditions. Those same mountains will, in the future, hold the secret truths as the apes forget & bury their past.  
> *I enjoyed that in Marli_Toled0's fic Nova calls Maurice 'mama', so here it's another sign she uses to express that he is her parent, and no one see's harm in her doing that.   
> *Nova is aged somewhere in pre-teens/teen years, and the serum is definitely wreaking havoc on her muscles in small ways, like making it hard for her to intake protein & energy from food.
> 
> I hope to come back and visit more Rocket/Tinker, but also Nova becoming a strong warrior and being like a knight to the future king Cornelius — like Ash & Blue Eyes wanted to be; like Rocket & Caesar —
> 
> Dont forget to Comment, Kudos, & rec too! It's so small here!


End file.
